HBL PSL T-20

POINTS TABLE

Teams	Mat	Won	Lost	Ties	Pts	NRR
Multan Sultans	10	6	2	2	14	1.031
Karachi Kings	10	5	4	1	11	-0.19
Lahore Qalandars	10	5	5	0	10	-0.072
Peshawar Zalmi	10	4	5	1	9	-0.055
Quetta Gladiators	10	4	5	1	9	-0.722
Islamabad United	10	3	6	1	7	0.185

Karachi Kings secure semi-final spot with four-wicket win over Islamabad United

Karachi, 14 March 2020:

Karachi Kings became the second team in the HBL PSL 2020 to secure a semi-final berth with a four-wicket win over Islamabad United at Karachi’s National Stadium on Saturday.

With this defeat, Islamabad United, the two-time champions, are knocked out of the tournament.

Kings’ chased down the 137-run target with four balls spare as Umaid Asif hit the winning runs by dispatching Rumman Raees for a boundary over mid-off fielder.

Kings were on their way to a comfortable win when United captain Shadab Khan dismissed Colin Ingram (11 off 24) and Iftikhar Ahmed (one off four) in the middle-phase of the innings which lightened up the contest.

Zafar Gohar dismissed King’s captain Imad Wasim (26 off 34) on the first ball of the 17th over as the home side slipped to 106 for five from to 90 for two.

Kings were provided a blistering start by Sharjeel Khan, later named man of the match for his 14-ball 37. He smashed two sixes and two fours off Musa Khan in the first over of the run chase.

The left-handed opener spanked Zafar for two consecutive sixes in the next over to help Kings pile up 35 runs from the first two overs.

Sharjeel put a sparkling 60-run opening stand – stretching across first five overs – with Babar Azam (19 off 20).

Sharjeel was Kings’ first wicket to fall as he was trapped LBW by Akif Javed and Babar followed him back in the next over as Kings lost both openers without any score added to the total.

A 30-run partnership between Delport and Imad followed which provided stability to the run chase.

Earlier, Islamabad United, asked to bat first, made 136 for the loss of six wickets.

With 37, Hussain Talat top-scored for United. The all-rounder struck four fours in his 30 ball stay.

United looked on course of setting a high total as they were 76 for two by the end of the first half of their innings with Hussain well-set at the crease and in-form Shadab, the fourth highest run-getter this season, joining him.

But, the dismissal of Shadab (12 off 14) by Arshad Iqbal on the penultimate ball of the 11th over turned the innings on its head as United managed only 54 runs in the last nine overs.

The wicket of Hussain on the last ball of the 14th over off Iftikhar Ahmed’s off-spin sparked a brief collapse as United lost three wickets for 19 runs and slipped to 116 for six from 97 for three.

Umaid Asif, Chris Jordan, Imad Wasim, Arshad and Iftikhar picked up a wicket each, while Colin Ingram, United’s last wicket to fall, was run-out.

Karachi Kings play their last group match against Quetta Gladiators tomorrow, 15 March, at the National Stadium. The match will begin at 7pm.

Scores in brief:

Islamabad United 136-6, 20 overs (Hussain Talat 37, Phil Salt 25)

Karachi Kings 137-6, 19.2 overs (Sharjeel Khan 37, Imad Wasim 26; Shadab Khan 2-28)

Result Karachi Kings win by four wickets

PSL playoffs postponed after overseas player develops coronavirus symptoms

The PSL, which had tweaked its original schedule to shorten it by four days with an eye on the worsening COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) situation, has been "suspended" following the revelation that an overseas cricketer, who has now left Pakistan, had shown symptoms of the virus.

"One overseas player has been potentially suspected (of having contracted COVID-19). However, we cannot reveal the identity of that player. But it's true that there is one suspected case and the player has left Pakistan already," Wasim Khan, the PCB chief executive, told mediapersons in Lahore.

According to a tweet by the official PSL handle, the semi-final games [Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars], which were scheduled to be played on Tuesday, and the final, slotted for Wednesday, would be rescheduled.

"We took the responsibility and were engaged with the government all the time and taking their minute-by-minute advice," Khan said. "We were continuing with their consent. We first made our decision to play in empty stadiums, gave players option to leave, reduced the number of days as well and all decisions we had taken were for the greater good.

"But this new development came after a player who left Pakistan told us that (he has) symptoms and this (decision to suspend PSL) isn't in light of being panicked, but it's a sensible response and we made our decision after thorough deliberation. But before this there was no suspected case at all, which is why the decision wasn't made before."

Representatives of the management teams of the various franchises accepted the decision, saying it was the right thing to do in the circumstances.